Radiotube



Aug. 24,1926. G. P. WIEGNER RADIOTUBE Filed Jan. 19, 1925 2 S'heets-Sheet l ffl wn-Nsss:

Aug. 24, 192.6.

11,597,643 G.- P. wu-:GNER

RADIOTUBE Filed Jan. 19, 1.925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR n v BY 1% I I ATTORN EY Wl TN ESS z A spaced from the grid, and in which Patented Aug. 24, 1926.

GEORGE P. W'IEGNEB, OF DONNELLSON, 10WA. l*

BADIOTUBE.

Application led January 19, 1,925. Serial No. 3,445. y

This invention relates to radio apparatus, particularly to thermionic triodes, or vacuum tubes, and has for its object the prof vision of a novel tube embodying various characteristics of construction and 'arrangement whereby to be extremely sensitive and more eiicient than the ordinary type in common use` A very important object is the provision l0 of a vacuum tube which may be used either for radio frequency amplification, audio frequency am lification or detection with equal acllity an 4eiiiciency and which is moreover so constructed and arranged Aas to reduce the h internal capacity to the minimum.

Another important feature is the rovision of a vacuum tube Ihavi'nlg a ecu iar construction and .arrangement o plate, grid and filament whereby to obtain many advantages such, for instance, as smoothness of operation, clearness ofl result, freedom from tube noises, and the like.

A. further object is the rovisionl of a vacuum tube in which the fi amentconsists of a plurality of lengths arranged at equal distances apart and in parallel relation not only to one another but to the grid and also Y to the plate element. Still another object is the provision of a vacuum tube in which all portions offthe filamentn or lengths thereof, are

all portions of the grid are equally spaced from the Y platf. element., v

of a vacuum tube in which means is provided for constantly applying tension to the' filament and consequently preventing it from sagging atany time and va 'ng its distance from the grid or even possi ly permitting it to come into contact with the grid .when the filament expands under 'the 'iniluence of heat.

A specific object is the provision of' a vacuum tube in which the filament is firmly anchored at one end but connected at its other end with a member of a supporting nature movable longitudinall lof the tube or the support within the tu lWfspring means tending to eiiect movement in and prevent sagging thereof under any conditions.

an additional' 'abitata the' mision 'or lthe plate element designated broadly by the numeral l?, which plate element is prefer-4 a device of this character in w ich the terzuinal elements are broughtput through the equally Another important object is the provision i by the shell or k'from whlch rises a liat or relative wide and fth'in shank 14 carrying an upstandingelongated loop like frame 15 at t vone direction so as to holdthe lame'nttaut .and equipped with.

sides of the tube face for coo erationfwith contact elements of a socket, t e location of the terminals at the side being of advanta e in reducing the ca acity and increasing t e eilicienc of the tu e.' i

The invention further contemplates the`A provision of various details ofconstruction f which will constitute a material improvement in the art in point of ease' of essaim-' v4 bling, strength and durability in se ix"ice,l I and other meritorious features. f '5"' With the above and other objects and vantages .in view, the invention consists in' i 70j more fully described and claimed. and -illus u :f ff accompanying drawings 1 Figure 1 is a iongitudiiiai secacfaioghf a vacuum tube constructed accordance the details of construction to be hereinaften trated in ythe which with my invention,

` Figure 2 is a v'ertical section on the line i 2-2 of Figure 1 with certain parts shown. in elevation, i

Figure 3 is an end elevation yof the base, 80

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the'internal, v j support, portions thereof. being broken away and 1n section, i Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the grid element, s

Figure 6 is a' section'on the line e-e if FigureJl,

Fi'gure 7 is a. zlragmen'tary perspective view of the lower portion of the plate element,

Figure 8 is a plan view of a suitable socket in -onnection with which the tube may be use Referring more particularly to the drawings, l have shown 'a vacuum tube including a base 10 of shell like formation to which is secured, in any desired manner, the bulb 11 vwhich is ordinarily of glass and which may be of any desired size and shape. Carried base and located within the bulb is the support designated broadl by the numeral ll2, which 'support-inclu es a bottom portion 13 of circular formation e top of which is a cross member 16. In actual practice all the parte are preferably formedV integrally r icoy . portion an ably formed of upper and lower members 18 of similar construction between which extend and to which are secured strips, sheets or ribbons 19 of suitable wire mesh. Y

Each of the members 18 is shown as being of substantiall. U-shape including a bridge relatively long a'rms 21, to the edges of the latter of which are welded or otherwise fastened the ends of the wire down along one side of the frame 15,

through the bottom portion 13 of the support 12 and along within the shell 10 of the base. Extending through the shell or base is a terminal pin 25 with which this A pend the grid properl lead or conductor 24 is connected.

Located within or between the opposite sides of the plate element 17 is the grid designated ,broadly by the numeral 26,' which grid is-shown as constructed of two similar sections 27 each formed as a substantially U-shapedfwire frame having its sides oonr nected by a plurality of transverse wires 28.

frames 27 preferably converge slightly as The upper ends of the sides of the shown, and have their terminals inwardly directed, or extended toward each other as shown at 29. The cross member 16 is formed with holes 30 through which the terminals 29 are engaged whereby to suswithin the confines of the plate element.. e bight portions of the two frames 27l forming the grid are brought together and secured by any desired means as shown at 31, and connected is brought downwardll at this point is a conductor or lead 32 whichs in a diagonal direc tion so as to avoid e bridge portion 20 of the lower metallic member 18 of the plate structure. This lead 32 passes throughl the bottom portion -13 of the support 12 and along the inner periphery of the shell or base 10 where it connects with a pin 33 projecting laterally through lthe shell l0 diametrically opposite the 'above described pin 25. The purpose of this exact arrangement of the leads is to keep them separated as far as possible and prevent capacity effect. Y

The lament of the tube is designated broadly by the'numeral 34 and includes a plurality of strandszor lengths 35 arranged at equal distances apart. For supporting the filament I provide pins or posts 36 of vmay bel -used just as leads or conductors 38 which extend through portions of the shank 14 of the support 12 and through the'bottom portion 13 of the support 1'2 and downwardly along the inner-periphery of tlie shell 10 where they connect with pins 39 similar to the pins 25 and 33 and arranged in the same manner.

VFor supporting the upper end of thefentire filament I provide a transverse element 40 carrying 4eyed suspension elements 41 through which the ilament is threaded as clearly indicated in Figure 4. For maintaining tension upon the filament at all times use is made of ser entine springs 42 which are of U-shape and) which have their bight portion passing through suitable holes ,43 in the cross piece 16 with their ends connected with the transverse element 40 in any desired manner. Obviously Athese springs 42 will apply an upward tension on the transverse element 40 at all times so that the filament will be kept taut and be prevented fromsaggin when in expanded position under the in uence of heat.

Attention is invited to the fact that the terminal pins 25, 33 and 39 all extend laterally from the shell of the base 10, a circumstance which makes ,it necessary to employ either a special socket or a. modified socket for mounting the tube. In the present' instance I have illustrated a socket including a base portion 44 and an upstanding shell portion 45, the base carrying the usual bind- J ing posts 46 with -which are connected spring contacts 47 for cooperation and en;

agement with the terminal ins on the ase of the tube. However, t e ordinary type of tube has these terminal pins projecting from the bottom or parallel with the longitudinal axis whereas inthe present instance the pins extend longitudinally with lrespect to the axis of the tube. As a co contacts 47 Vbe of angular v:formation or be extended upwardly as indicated in Figure l so as to engage against the terminal pins of the tube. In case a specially constructiio nsequence it is neceary.v that the spring fed socket isemployed these springs would l of course be made this way in the first place but if an ordinary socket is to be modified it is merely necessary that the spring contact thereof be bent upwardly into the shape-shown whereupon an ordinary socket well'- as a' specially constructed one.

In order that thetube lmay used'in an ordinary socket I have shown the shell 10 as pressed inwardly at spaced points as indicated at 48 with the terminal pins projecting within these depressed portions.

commodate the upstanding portions of the contact springs 47 of the socket. Furthermore, attention is invited to the fact that the terminals or ends of the contact are bent inwardly and then outwardly as indicated at 49 so that they will act to prevent the tube socket when it is in applied position.

In actual practice, the tube is used in exactly the same manner as any other vacuum tube having three electrodes, there being no difference whatsoever in the mode of connecting. However, I have observed that the disposition of the pins in the base pro- "ecting'from the sides thereof instead of the ottom is of material advantage inasmuch as these pins arekept widely separated as are also the leads which extend to the lament, the grid and the plate, all of these features combining to reduce the internal capacity of the tube and consequently increase thev efficiency. Attention is further invited to the fact that the grid is at the same distance from the plate at all points and the filament is likewise equally spaced from the grid at all points. Another distinct. feature of advantage is that the various lengths of the filament are of equal distances apart and are parallel. The employment of the spring device for holding the filament taut when in expanded position is of prime importance inasmuch as it prevents the filament from sagging when in a heated condition. Under ordinary circumstances or in ordinary tube it is we'll known that the filament frequently sags especially from moving upwardly out of the after rolonged use and there is then dangero its contacting withthegrid. A feature of advantage in the employment' of a plate element formed as a wire screen is that all surfaces are utilized whereas in the case of a solid sheet plate there is only one surface which is active.

From the foregoing description anda study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and highlyeicient vacuum tube which iswell adapted for use in all phases of radio communication and which possesses so many meritorious features as to readil recommend itself to those skilled in the art.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoinedclaim.- Having thus`described the invention, I claim:

In a vacuum tube, a base, a bulb-carried thereby, a support carried by the 4base within the bulb and including an upstanding frame member, a plate element located within the confines ,of the frame member and including upper and lower metallic U- shaped members located within and con I forming to the inner surface of the upper and lower portions of the frame, the plate further including elongated strips of wire mesh secured to said metallic members;

In testimony whereof I aix my si atlwek GEORGE P.- WIEG IL 

